Workers’ strike at Asian Paints’ TN plant enters 3rd day

Strike by workers at Asian Paints’ Sriperumbudur factory near here entered the third day on Thursday.

Hundreds of workers have been on strike since April 28 demanding reinstatement of dismissed employees. Asian Paints Employees Union President V Rajesh said, “We are clear in our demand. We will continue our protest until the dismissed employees are taken back on rolls. Since the strike is continuing food and transportation services to the employees have been stopped.”

In a notice to stock exchanges, Asian Paints had said, “The operations at the company’s paint plant situated at Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, are affected due to the cessation of work by the operators belonging to Asian Paints Employees’ Union.” When contacted, a company official said production has been affected at the plant due to the strike by operators. The official said the company would be able to meet the market demand from its other paint manufacturing facilities present across the country. Asian Paints currently has facilities in Gujarat, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Maharashtra.

The Asian Paints Employees Union said workers went on flash strike after the company dismissed two employees on April 28. “About six months back the company suspended four of our colleagues. But yesterday morning two of them were dismissed. Several round of talks were held between the management and employees to reinstate the employees and for increasing the wage. But, there has been no progress,” V Rajesh had said. The Chennai plant was set up in 2005 and manufactures 1.40 kilolitres of emulsion paints per annum.